CABANATUAN CITY,
Nueva Ecija, January 16, 2013-A legitimate resident of Nueva Ecija is the new
provincial director of the Philippine National Police, replacing Senior
Superintendent Walter Castillejos who was fired barely four months ahead of the
May mid-term elections.
Senior Superintendent Crisaldo Nieves,
a native of Barangay San Isidro, Zaragoza town, assumed the post in turn-over
ceremonies Wednesday at the PNP provincial headquarters here.
Castillejos served for only six
months, way short of the routine two-year tour of duty of a provincial
director. No reason was given for Castillejos’ sudden relief which order
reportedly emanated from Camp Crame.
“It’s beyond me, really,” said
Castillejos’ immediate superior, PNP Regional Office 3 director Chief
Superintendent Edgar Ladao by phone when asked why Castillejos was suddenly
relieved.
There have been speculations that
Castillejos was relieved for his failure to eradicate jueteng operations and
for his dismal performance in containing crimes in the province. Reports said
Umali was disappointed with his performance.
Castillejos has not been returning
calls.
Nieves, 47, is a member of the 1989
batch of the PNP Academy. He is a former regional comptroller of the PNP in the
Bicol Region and in the Caraga Region and held various positions as provincial
public safety commander in Quezon province and station commander in the Bataan
municipalities of Dinalupihan and Morong and the Quezon towns of Catanauan and
Mauban.
It will be Nieves’ first provincial
posting, considered an acid test since Nueva Ecija is listed as an election
“hot spot.” He is the second Novo Ecijano to be assigned as director in the
province in six years, following Senior Superintendent Agripino Javier – of San
Antonio town - who served briefly in 2007 following the assumption into office
of Gov. Aurelio Umali.
Nieves said his marching order from
PNP Chief, Director General Alan Purisima and Ladao is to continue the campaign
against all forms of criminality through preventive police action.
He said the Nueva Ecija police will
also run after loose firearms and private armed groups which, he said, will
pose serious threats to the conduct of peaceful and orderly elections in the
province. (Manny Galvez)
